At Lexington Middle School, we believe the arts can do more than entertain — they can help build empathy, strengthen community, and create space for meaningful conversations.

This production of Every Brilliant Thing is presented in partnership with the Lexington Middle School counseling team as part of our Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives and Suicide Prevention Month programming.

Through storytelling, audience interaction, reflection, and conversation, this production encourages students and community members to explore topics such as emotional wellness, resilience, human connection, and the importance of reaching out for support. The play reminds us that even in difficult moments, there are still countless “brilliant things” worth holding onto — and that none of us are meant to navigate life alone.

As part of this collaboration, students may engage in:

• Guided classroom reflections and discussions

• SEL-focused activities connected to the production

• Conversations about empathy, emotional literacy, and mental health awareness

• Opportunities to reflect on gratitude, joy, and community connection

Theatre has a unique ability to place us inside another person’s experience. By inviting audiences directly into the storytelling process, Every Brilliant Thing becomes more than a play — it becomes a shared act of listening, understanding, and hope.

We are proud to partner with our counseling team to help foster a school culture where students feel seen, valued, supported, and connected.

What does “audience participation” mean?

Every Brilliant Thing is an interactive theatrical experience. Throughout the performance, audience members may be invited to read short lines, hold simple props, or briefly assist in storytelling moments from their seats. These moments are gentle, lighthearted, and designed to help create a sense of community within the performance.

Do I have to participate?

Absolutely not. Participation is always voluntary. Audience members are welcome to simply sit back, watch, and enjoy the performance.

Will I be called on stage?

Most audience interaction happens from your seat. Occasionally, a few volunteers may be invited into the performance space for simple and supportive moments, but no one will ever be pressured or embarrassed into participating.

Is participation appropriate for students?

Yes. This production has been carefully planned in collaboration with our counseling team and school staff to ensure that audience participation remains respectful, age-appropriate, and emotionally safe.

What age group is this production appropriate for?

This production is recommended for middle school students and older audiences due to its themes involving mental health, depression, grief, and emotional wellness. While the play contains humor, warmth, and hope, families should be aware of the emotional subject matter when deciding attendance for younger children.

How long is the performance?

The performance runs approximately 75–90 minutes with no intermission.

Is this a comedy or a drama?

Both. Every Brilliant Thing blends humor and heartfelt storytelling in a deeply human way. Audiences can expect moments of laughter, reflection, joy, and emotional honesty throughout the performance.

Why is the audience included in the story?

One of the central themes of the play is connection. By inviting the audience into the storytelling process, the production reminds us that community, empathy, and shared experiences matter — and that sometimes simply being present for one another can make all the difference.

Will support resources be available?

Yes. Because this production is presented as part of Suicide Prevention Month and our SEL initiatives, support resources and counseling information will be available for students, families, and audience members who may wish to continue conversations sparked by the performance.

Stories teach us how to imagine, question, laugh, and connect with one another. But sometimes the most meaningful stories are the ones willing to break the rules.

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales takes familiar fairy tales and turns them completely upside down. By twisting classic stories into something unexpected, hilarious, and delightfully chaotic, this production encourages students to think creatively, embrace individuality, and see storytelling in entirely new ways.

For our younger audiences, this production supports literacy and imagination by helping students recognize story structures, character archetypes, and familiar fairy tale traditions — while also showing them that creativity thrives when we are willing to challenge expectations.

For our student performers, this production offers opportunities to explore:

• comedic timing and physical theatre

• ensemble storytelling

• rapid character transformation

• audience engagement

• creative problem solving

• collaboration and adaptability

Most importantly, this show reminds students that there is value in being different.

The “heroes” of these stories are often awkward, imperfect, chaotic, or misunderstood — and that is exactly what makes them memorable. In a world where many young people feel pressure to fit into neat categories, this production celebrates imagination, individuality, and the courage to embrace what makes us unique.

As part of our LEX VAPA Lunch & Learn Touring Series, this production also expands access to live theatre experiences for younger students throughout our feeder schools. By bringing theatre directly into elementary spaces through interactive performances and shared community experiences, we hope to spark curiosity, confidence, laughter, and a lifelong love of the arts.

Sometimes the strangest stories are the ones that help us see the world most clearly.

At first glance, Shrek the Musical Jr. may seem like a simple fairy tale comedy filled with ogres, dragons, talking donkeys, and over-the-top humor. But beneath its outrageous comedy and fantasy world lies a story that deeply connects to the heart of our 2026–2027 season theme:

“Not Your Mother’s Fairy Tales.”

This season explores stories that challenge expectations — stories where the “perfect” fairy tale world begins to crack open and reveal something far more human underneath. Shrek does exactly that.

In this story, the heroes are not polished princes or flawless princesses. They are outsiders, misfits, and people who have spent much of their lives believing they are unwanted, misunderstood, or “too different.” The fairy tale world presented in Shrek is one obsessed with appearances, status, and conformity — and the story boldly rejects those ideas.

Instead, Shrek the Musical Jr. reminds audiences that:

• differences are not flaws

• vulnerability is strength

• kindness matters more than appearance

• belonging comes from authenticity, not perfection

For middle school students especially, those themes matter profoundly.

Many young people are navigating questions of identity, confidence, friendship, and self-worth. They are learning who they are while also feeling pressure to fit into expectations created by peers, media, and society. Shrek speaks directly to those experiences in a way that is accessible, funny, heartfelt, and emotionally honest.

This production also reflects our philosophy of theatre education at Lexington Middle School: creating artistic experiences where all students feel valued and empowered to contribute.

In many ways, theatre itself is a home for the “fairy tale creatures” — the students who feel different, creative, unconventional, awkward, loud, quiet, imaginative, or out of place elsewhere. The arts create space for those students to discover confidence, connection, and community.

That is why this story belongs in our season.

While Shrek is often remembered for its humor and spectacle, our production seeks to emphasize the humanity underneath the comedy. We want audiences to leave not only entertained, but reminded that every person deserves dignity, acceptance, and the freedom to be fully themselves.

Because sometimes the most important fairy tales are the ones that remind us we never needed to become someone else to be worthy of love in the first place.